Minnesota Wholesale Trees | Tree Care

Tree planting guide

Planting a tree is a great way to provide shade or privacy, wind protection and beautify your yard or property. With a little bit of proper planning you can watch your tree grow strong and beautiful.

Planting a tree is a lifetime investment. How well you plant your tree is in direct correlation to how well your investment grows. The ideal time to plant a tree is in the dormant season, either early spring or fall after the leaves have fallen off. It is best for the root to get established be for heavy rain or hot summer heat. It is very important the call your local phone and electric companies to have the wires marked before digging. You will need to take into account how high and wide the tree will grow. For example, you don’t want it to hit the house or a power line. Also, the ground conditions and light exposure. Is the tree going to grow best in sun or shade, wet or dry soil?

Ready to dig… Dig a hole as much as three times the size of your root ball. You need to do this so the soil around the ball is loosened up and the roots of the tree can push through easier.

Next, the hole should be deep enough that when the root ball is covered with dirt so you will just barely see where the trunk of the tree and the roots connect. You do not want to plant the tree too deep; this could cause lack of oxygen to the roots. It is better to be too high than too deep.

Next, make sure the tree is straight up and down. Never adjust the tree by pulling on the trunk. Adjust and straighten the tree by moving the ball; trying to move the tree by the trunk could damage the trunk and ripe away the roots. Now it is time to back fill. Fill the hole half way the gently pack the soil. At this time it is now OK to cut back the fabric or wire from around the root ball, this will help with growth. Fill the rest of the hole firmly packing the dirt. If you need you can use water to make sure there aren’t any air pockets and that the soil is firm.

Finally, mulch the base of the tree, this holds the moisture in better when watering. Keep the soil moist, but not soaked. If you over water it can cause the leaves to turn yellow and fall off. A new tree needs to be watered once a week, but keep in mind lots of rain and extreme heat for adjustments. Wait for any pruning until one full season of growth, unless a limb is damaged.